The Climbing Blog »

Cory Richards On His Rowell Award

Posted on: August 13th, 2012 by Luke Bauer

Cory Richards wrote to us about his acceptance of the Rowell Award. The Rowell Award—For The Art of Adventure honors an adventurer whose artistic passion illuminates the wild places of the world, and whose accomplishments significantly benefit both the environment and the people who inhabit these lands and regions. It was established to celebrate the accomplishments of famed adventurers and photographers Galen and Barbara Rowell who died in a plane crash in 2002.

The award will be officially presented at the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride in late May, 2012. The American Alpine Club is pleased to award Cory with this year’s $15,000 prize.

From Cory:

Growing up, the primary family library was comprised almost entirely of mountain literature and hard-cover books of the wild places of our planet. I remember the spines growing weary with age and the pages becoming dully littered with fingerprints, ever-growing little hands flipping through the pages of dreams manifested.

Through my mountain education, Galen Rowell’s name became synonymous with my own aspirations. True, there was a host of other books to look at. But his drew me back to familiar pages because no matter how long I looked at them, they still embodied a subtle and playful mystery. It was natural then when I picked up a camera, and ultimately made it my life, that Galen’s unique brand of wonderment became something of a measuring stick for my own imagery (and I am still measuring short). He inspired, and in turn that is all I ever wanted to do. I wanted to share the same subtlety and intense beauty that he shared.

Receiving the Rowell Award was for me a realization of much of what I have always wanted to achieve with my art. I am so humbled, honored, and privileged. Not only to have been honored with the Award, but to share this incredible journey with our community and peers. To be placed amongst names like Jimmy Chin, James Balog, Beth Wald, Craig Childs, and of course Galen and Barbara is an honor to which I cannot put words. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this journey…the AAC, my wife and family, my friends…all of us…our community…THANK YOU!

Sincerely,

Cory

Comments are closed.

AAC LibraryInclined

Want to be an AAC Member?

Here are a couple of the benefits you’ll receive as an American Alpine Club Member: